But now, what is it to show ourselves worthly of this calling ?
It may be known by our suitableness to our principle, rule, and end.
[1.] To our principle, if we are suitable to the inclinations of the new nature. The apostle saith, ' Fashion not yourselves to the former
302 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. [SeR. XII.
lusts of your ignorance/ 1 Peter i. 14. Heretofore you gave up your- selves to folly, to the satisfaction of your sinful desires, shaping and moulding your lives according to the wisdom of the flesh ; but it must not be so now. Your principle is the new nature, which begets in us a love to God and a hatred of sin, so that it must be an unnatural thing to sin : 1 John iii. 9, ' Whosoever is born of God doth not com- mit sin, for his seed remaineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.' And you must be carried to God with such a bent and inclinations, as light bodies move upward ; serve him with all readiness of mind, Ps. xl. 8.
[2.] Our rule, which are the precepts of Christ : Phil. ii. 16, ' Hold- ing forth the word.' Living in the constant practice of christian doc- trine, that religion may be exemplified in you : 2 Cor. iii. 3, ' Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, 'ministered according to the seal and stamp.
3. Our end, the hopes of the other world, as those that have a deep sense of the life to come, driving on a trade for the other world, Phil, iii. 10. Either living for heaven, as seeking it, or upon heaven, as comforting yourselves with the hopes of it in all our tribulations. We do but play with religion till we do thus.
Use 2. Since God counts us worthy of this calling, and the begin- ning, progress, and consummation cometh from his grace as the foun- tain, and is accomplished by his power, he must be sought to by prayer, Avaited on in the word and sacraments. To encourage us, what may we not obtain —
1. From our God, who is so propitious and favourable to us, so able to help us ? We have undeserved goodness and infinite power to bestow glory upon us.
2. God by calling doth engage himself to perform his promise, that which is promised to the man that is called : 1 Thes. v. 23, 24, ' The very God of peace sanctify you wholly ; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it ; ' 1 Cor. i. 9, ' God is faithful, by whom ye were called into the fellow- ship of his Son Jesus Christ ; ' Phil. i. 6, ' He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ,'
SERMON XII.
Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count yon loorthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his good- ness, and the ivork of faith with power. — 2 Thes. i. 11.
I come now to the second expression in the apostle's prayer, ' And fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness ; ' that is, all those things which according to his good pleasure he hath determined to do for you. Now all the pleasure of his goodness respects both the kind and degree of the several graces to be wrought in them.
VER. 11.] SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 303
First, The several kinds of grace. Man is apt to divide ; some ay ill have one sort of mercy, and not another ; whereas the whole mercy of God in Christ is necessary to our salvation, and none of us shall be saved without entire mercy. Thence note —
Doct. 1. That we must not sever God's benefits, and desire one with the exclusion of the rest.
Secondly, It respects the degree. Many, who imagine they have ob- tained some measure of grace and holiness, rest in those beginnings, and are asleep as to all desires and endeavours after growth and increase. Therefore —
Doct. 2. That a christian should not be contented with a little of God's grace, but seek to have all fulfilled in him.
For the first point, these reasons may enforce it — (1.) The causes of salvation must not be confounded ; (2.) Christ must not be divided ; (3.) The covenant must not be disordered ; (4.) Our cure must not be disturbed.
First, The causes of salvation must not be confounded one with another, nor separated one from another.
What are the causes and means of salvation ?
1. There are five things which do concur to this work, and all of them, in one place or another, are said to save — the love of God, the merit and satisfaction of Christ Jesus, the almighty operation of the Spirit, the conversion of a sinner, the word and sacraments, which in their place are said to save also. You shall find it is ascribed to all these things. To God the Father : 2 Tim. i. 9, ' Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling ; ' because of his elective love in Jesus Christ. Mat. i. 21, To Christ: ' He shall save his people from their sins ; ' because of his merit and satisfaction. To the Holy Ghost, because of his almighty efficiency, and powerful operation and influence : Titus iii. 5, ' He hath saved us, by the renewing of the Holy Ghost.' To conversion, by which repentance and faith is wrought in us. So we are said to be saved by faith : Eph. ii. 8, ' By grace ye are saved, through faith.' And by repentance and turning to God, to save ourselves from this untoward generation, Acts ii. 40. To the word and sacraments : the word discovereth and exhibiteth the grace whereby we are saved : James i. 21, ' The engrafted word, which is able to save our souls.' Yea, it is said of ministers as instruments, because of their subserviency to God's work : 1 Tim. iv. 16, ' Thou shalt save thyself, and them that hear thee.' So of the sacraments, as they represent and seal this grace to our hearts : 1 Peter iii. 21, ' Baptism saveth/ &c. Well, now, all these things must be regarded in their place.